There weren’t very many style points handed out after Jonathan Alder’s baseball team defeated Kenton Ridge for the third time this spring.
Glamour shots, however, aren’t what this time of year is all about.
Once the post-season arrives, every team is hopefully on its toes, ready to give a good account of itself.
After the regular season concludes, it’s all about winning the next game.
If you do, it’s a climb up the ladder.
A loss sends you packing for another year.
Thursday’s Division II regional semifinal game between the Pioneers and Kenton Ridge wasn’t much as far as artistic value.
It wasn’t necessarily a well-played game, but it was very competitive.
Fans on both sides of the press box and standing along the first and third base lines were kept at a fever pitch, play-after-play, for a couple of extra innings.
Jonathan Alder defeated the Cougars twice during the regular season, since both are members of the Central Buckeye Conference’s Kenton Trail Division.
After Garrett Roach’s two-run homer in the visitors portion of the first inning, I thought we might be in for an easy Pioneer victory.
To the Cougars’ credit, they didn’t go down easily.
After Kenton Ridge took a 7-4 lead, I was worried it just wasn’t going to be Alder’s day.
To the Pioneers’ credit, however, there was never any quit.
Although there were a couple of uncharacteristic fielding miscues and a handful of hit batsmen, the Pioneers found a way to win.
Jonathan Alder advanced to the regional championship game against Hamilton Badin that was played Friday afternoon.
That game was played after the Journal-Tribune’s deadline for its Saturday edition and will be reported on in Monday’s online edition.
Style points?
Forget about it.
The only point, or run in the baseball world, that counted was the one JA needed to win.
This time of year isn’t about beauty.
It’s just survive and advance… that’s what the Pioneers accomplished with their victory.